Georgia Working Families Mobilize to Stop Anti-Worker Bills

Dozens of Georgia union members urged their state lawmakers to block several anti-worker bills now before the state House and Senate in the Georgia AFL-CIO’s annual Lobby Day Thursday. At the same time, they celebrated the passage of a resolution that honors Hurricane Sandy relief workers from Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 84 and Georgia Power who traveled to New Jersey and elsewhere to help repair and recovery efforts.

The anti-worker measures include attacks on collective bargaining rights, privatization of public transportation services and a ban on Project labor agreements (PLAs). Two of the measures could come to a vote Monday.

The attack on collective bargaining (H.B. 361) is an attempt to intimidate workers. It increases penalties for free speech activities, like picketing, and ties the hands of local governments from deciding what works best for them when dealing with their workforce and unfairly targets only certain unions and organizations. A similar bill was defeated last year.

The PLA bill (H.B. 362) would restrict the ability of local communities to hire skilled, local workers for construction projects and open the door to contractors from out of state—many of whom would give big money to state politicians in return—to come into Georgia and make a quick buck using a less-skilled workforce.

If you are a Georgia resident, click here to send a message to your state representatives urging defeat of the two bills.

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